Longtime Southern Coach Richardson to Enter Hall
Courtesy Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame - Induction ceremony on Saturday, June 23
Pete Richardson defined Southern University football from his arrival in 1993 to 2009, establishing himself on par with the school's other coaching legend -- College Football Hall of Fame and Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame member A.W. Mumford.
He won five Southwestern Athletic Conference titles, including a three-peat from 1997-99 (the school's first consecutive SWAC titles since 1959-60), four black college national titles (1993, 1995, 1997 and 2003) and four Heritage Bowl titles.
Richardson was 12-5 in the Bayou Classic and is the only SWAC coach never to have lost to Eddie Robinson. His winning percentage of 68.4 percent in 17 seasons (134-62) at the school is second behind only Mumford's 70.4 percent (176-60-14).
Prior to his arrival, Southern had last won the SWAC in 1975 and 1966. The program had four different head coaches in the 1970s and four between 1981 and 1992. His impact was immediate, however, as he took over a program that had three straight losing seasons and guided it to an 11-1 record, winning the SWAC and black college national titles.
At SU, Richardson had four 11-win seasons -- including a 12-1 run in 2003. His career record, including five seasons at Division II Winston-Salem State, was 176-76-1.
A seventh-round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills in 1968, he played defensive back from 1969-71. He had eight interceptions and five fumble recoveries in 39 career games.
